Ohio Legislature to vote on 90-day gas tax suspension

The Ohio General Assembly is expected to hold a special session, likely on September 30, to vote on a proposed 90-day suspension of the state's gas tax. The move comes as diesel fuel prices reach record highs and unleaded gasoline costs continue to rise.

Republican gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy proposed the suspension, which would eliminate the 38.5-cent per gallon tax on regular gas and the 47-cent tax on diesel. This proposal follows a similar call for an emergency tax holiday from Democratic nominee Amy Acton. Ramaswamy's plan aims to provide relief to families and independent truck drivers, noting that the diesel price surge was the “final straw” for action.

To offset the estimated $600 million in lost revenue, Ramaswamy suggested using the Ohio Department of Transportation's ending cash balance, the General Revenue Fund, and potentially the state's Rainy Day Fund. He also mentioned utilizing savings from Medicaid fraud prevention to replenish funds. The state legislature had previously been on break with no scheduled meetings until after the November 3 election.